Adolescent exposures to cosmetic chemicals of concern

Laboratory tests reveal adolescent girls across America are contaminated with chemicals commonly used in cosmetics and body care products. Environmental Working Group (EWG) detected 16 chemicals from 4 chemical families - phthalates, triclosan, parabens, and musks - in blood and urine samples from 20 teen girls aged 14-19. Studies link these chemicals to potential health effects including cancer and hormone disruption. These tests feature first-ever exposure data for parabens in teens, and indicate that young women are widely exposed to this common class of cosmetic preservatives, with 2 parabens, methylparaben and propylparaben, detected in every single girl tested.

In Alex (Washington DC): 12 hormone-altering cosmetics chemicals. "It's frightening to learn about the many different kinds of toxic chemicals that can be found in my body. At the same time I would much rather be knowledgeable about my body's chemical makeup than uninformed; in this case, ignorance is NOT bliss."

This work represents the first focused look at teen exposures to chemicals of concern in cosmetics, exposures that occur during a period of accelerated development. Adolescence encompasses maturation of the reproductive, immune, blood, and adrenal hormone systems, rapid bone growth associated with the adolescent "growth spurt," shifts in metabolism, and key changes to brain structure and function. Alterations in an array of sex hormones, present in the body at levels as low as one part per billion (ppb), or even one part per trillion (ppt), guide this transformation to adulthood. Emerging research suggests that teens may be particularly sensitive to exposures to trace levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals like the ones targeted in this study, given the cascade of closely interrelated hormonal signals orchestrating the transformation from childhood to adulthood.

 

thanks for posting this- my kids play with make-up and i didn't realize how bad the parabens can be for them.
here is a list of cosmetics companies that don't use parabens:
Affusion Skin Care
Afterglow Cosmetics
Agoo Agii
Alexandra Avery
Amúrie Toxic-Free Products
Aubrey Organics Skin, Body & Hair Care Products
Barefoot Botanicals
Beauty Cosmedics
Beauty Society
Bésso de Natúra
BienElla, LLC
Blue Moon Herbals & Aromatics
Botanical Skin Works
Burt’s Bees
Crystalux Personal Care Products
Daisy Blue Naturals
derma e Natural Bodycare
Devita Natural Skin Care Systems
Doc Hills Natural Skin Care
Dr. Hauschka
Earths Beauty Cosmetics
Earth Garden Ltd.
Earth Mama Angel Baby
Earth Science
EclipseSpa
Eco-Beauty Organics
Eminence Organic Skin Care
Evan Healy
Ferlow Botanicals
Garden Girl Skin Care
geoskincare
Grateful Body
Green Ridge Herbals
Healing Anthropology
Hylunia
Image Skin Care
InerQi (inner chi) Toxic Free Body Care
Inspa Body Essentials
Integral Sense
Iredale Mineral Cosmetics
Juice Beauty
Julisis
Kettle Care Herbal Body Products
Kuumba Made
Lafe’s Natural BodyCare
LaLicious
Larénim
Lily Loves Pearl
Living Nature Products
Logona Cosmetics
Mad Gabs
Makeup Junky
Mama Rose's Naturals
Martina Gebhardt Naturkosmetiks
Max Green Alchemy
Mineralogie
Monet Cosmetics
MyChelle Dermaceuticals
Natural Solutions–Holistic Beauty & Health
Naturopathica
Novaurora Organic Skin Care
One Group
Organic Complexion
Organic Essentials Skincare (and Nutritional Product)
Organic Excellence Hair Care Products
Osea Skin Care
Pristine Recovery
Prophet Skincare
Rainforest Organics Natural Soap Co.
Real Purity Cosmetics
Restored Balance Herbal Products
Rocky Mountain Soap Company
Saje Natural Wellness
Santé Kosmetics
SMB Essentials
Soap for Goodness Sake
Spell Cosmetics
Suki's Naturals
Sumbody
Super Salve Company
Susan's Soaps & More Natural Skin Care Products
Swissclinical Skin Solutions
Talulah Skin Care
Terra Firma Cosmetics
Terressentials
Tom's of Maine
Trillium Organics
UV Natural
Valana Minerals
Vernacular Skin Works
WELEDA
Wood Sprite Natural Body

 

This is all great information!